• The legacy of Porsche Design by IWC is closely connected to the visionary leadership of Günter Blümlein. At the age of 38, Blümlein was appointed by the German group VDO to manage two recently acquired watchmaking companies, IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre, through its subsidiary Les Manufactures Horlogères. This appointment came during one of the most difficult periods for traditional watchmaking, as the industry faced intense competition from quartz, digital, and electronic watches produced in Asia. Blümlein responded with a distinctive and personal strategy, restructuring IWC to appeal to a younger, more active, and thrill-seeking audience rather than the understated clientele of seasoned collectors over the age of 40. His approach led to strategic collaborations, including with Porsche Design, which expanded IWC’s technical and creative boundaries and significantly increased its appeal among car enthusiasts.

• Under Blümlein’s leadership, the IWC engineers, such as Jürgen King and Kurt Klaus, joined forces with Alexander Porsche, the designer behind the iconic Porsche 911, in 1978. This 20-year partnership gave rise to a groundbreaking line of titanium watches under the Porsche Design label, marking a bold departure from traditional watchmaking. The collaboration not only introduced innovative materials but also redefined IWC’s design language, blending engineering precision with sleek, modern aesthetics.

• At the 1983 Basel Fair, IWC introduced the Ocean 2000, reference 3500. Produced for about four years, it was released under references 3500, 3504, and 3524, each denoting a different bracelet generation, which evolved along time to enhance its durability:

• First generation: Each link has one pushpin in the centre which when depressed will allow the link to detach.
• Second generation: Each link has two pushpins in the centre which the link will detach with it is depressed with a special U-shaped tool that was included in the original accessories.
• Third generation: Each link has a solid pin driven through the link from side to side to make the bracelet more durable than the previous two styles. The pins can be driven out with a fine pusher or with a special tool that was included in the original accessories.

• The Ocean 2000’s standout feature was its exceptional water resistance: 2,000 meters (200 atmospheres or over 6,500 feet). At the time, conventional adhesives and seals couldn’t reliably endure such depths or temperature shifts. IWC overcame this by using a kiln-cured adhesive, ensuring durability in extreme conditions. When the first watches were made in autumn 1982 and presented to Blümleinm, the team was looking for a striking name. Blümlein was intrigued by the fact that the water-resistance of the watch was tested up to 200 bar. He therefore chose the name “2000” and have it combined with the perfect fitting name “Ocean” for this divers’ watch.

• With its 42.5 mm titanium case, the Ocean 2000 was unusually large for its time. Born in 1983, the present example is paired with an early first-generation dial, which only signs Porsche Design, and a third-generation pin-style titanium bracelet, which is a cutting-edge material at the time. The watch’s clean, modern aesthetic perfectly reflects the DNA of both Porsche Design and IWC, making it a landmark in the history of professional dive watches.